High dilutions of two drugs induce changes in crystal water structure of lactose as revealed by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry

Abstract

Ultra-high dilutions (UHD) of drugs used in homeopathy are preserved in sugars. How do solid sugars assimilate characteristics of UHDs? This study attempts to answer this question. The three UHDs of Acid fluoric, Acid nitric, and ethanol were mixed with lactose at 1 µL/g and analyzed by thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to see any change in their crystal water. TG results show a mass loss of 4.9% at 146.8ºC for Acid fluoric 30 cH, of 7.1% at 146.6ºC for Acid nitric 30 cH, and 5.1% at 146.5ºC for ethanol. DSC results show that the change in enthalpy for Acid fluoric 30 cH is 157.3 J/g at 153.8ºC, that for Acid nit 30 cH is 122.8 J/g at 148.3ºC, and that for ethanol is 154.9 J/g at 156.3ºC. Bound water in lactose crystals and corresponding enthalpies vary markedly in the three drugs tested. This indicates that the number of hydrogen bonds and their bond strength vary inbound water of medicated lactose crystals.